Cuisine of the Mughals: Akbar (1542-1605)

Posted by Anoothi Vishal on June 30th, 2009

Akbar (1542-1605)

Akbar’s childhood was spent in present day Afghanistan. From his Persian mother, he inherited princely manners, his love for literature and the arts. And from his Turkish father came his fierce energy, his love for war and his ability to command. Later, he learned to absorb what was genuinely Indian.

The Ain-i-Akbari, a gazetteer of the Mughal empire, detailing every aspect of Akbar’s government written by his courtier Abul Fazl has a vivid and fascinating chapter devoted to the imperial kitchen. Abul Fazl provides a list of recipes of some of the dishes which reflect that the Mughal diet heavily relied on rice, wheat, gram, barley and some other lentils. Bernier describes how shops were stacked with pots of ghee, rice, wheat and grains. The Central Asian and Persian influence is evident in the recipes listed in the Ain-i-Akbari. Abul Fazl writes that the kitchen department was headed by Mir Baqwal (Master of the Kitchen), an officer of the rank of 600 horses (in Akbar’s reign). Hakim Humam held the post under the direct control of the vizier (prime minister). Mir Baqwal had under him an army of cooks, tasters, attendants, bearers and a special officer for betel. The cooks came from Persia, Central Asia, Afghanistan and different regions of India.

The Ain-i-Akbari mentions a dish in Akbar’s kitchen which is exactly like the present day kulfi. His alliance with the Rajputs brought a Rajasthani flavor to the royal table. Many dishes were developed and cooked on the hunting grounds in pits. Akbar mostly dined once in 24 hours and privately. Before eating, he set apart food for the poor and started his meal with milk or yoghurt.

1. Customised catering: Having a party at home and don't know who to
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Bespoke Indian, Chinese, Thai, Italian menus to suit all budgets.
2. Excusive menus: Have a party with a difference. Serve up some
exclusive regional Indian food that will get your guests raving.
3. Chefs doing live cooking: We can also arrange chefs to do live
grills and cook food on site for your at-home parties.

Kayastha Khatirdari

Home-made shami kebabs, fabulous badam pasande, the subtle yakhni pulao, vegetarian dishes such as takey paise, bharwan karele, bedmi-aloo and so on all form part of the exotic Kayastha repertoire.
The community, spread over north and central India, is known for its lavish hospitality and the richness of its cuisine and culture. The latter are unique in India because of the syncreticism reflected in them:
This is food of a high caste Hindu community (whose original members were educated record keepers and administrators in Mughal and pricely courts) that shows a close bond with the elite Mughal cuisine and culture of the past. Savour this rich tradition as our team of hobby cooks (Anoothi Vishal, Rajeev Rishi and Minoo Rishi) take their food to various hotels across the country.